..Early clinical results in nontransplantation patients have been very promising. This review will focus on the use of gene-modified T cells and checkpoint inhibitors in stem cell transplantation. ..

Enhanced responses to tumor immunization following total body irradiation are time-dependent

Adi DiabSwim Across America Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, United States of AmericaPLoS ONE 8:e82496. 2013

..Clinical strategies using these approaches must therefore optimize such parameters, as the correct timing of infusion and vaccination may mean the difference between an ineffective treatment and successful tumor eradication. ..

Phase I/II study of GM-CSF DNA as an adjuvant for a multipeptide cancer vaccine in patients with advanced melanoma

..Responding T cells had an effector memory cell phenotype. Polyfunctional T cells were also demonstrated. At a median of 31 months follow-up, median survival has not been reached. Human GM-CSF DNA was found to be a safe adjuvant...

..For 18 patients with MDS (< or = RAEB-2) or high-risk myeloproliferative disorder, the estimated 3 year DFS is 61%. These data demonstrate the curative potential of this regimen in patients with high-risk myeloid malignancies...

T cell depleted stem-cell transplantation for adults with hematologic malignancies: sustained engraftment of HLA-matched related donor grafts without the use of antithymocyte globulin

..Life-threatening OIs occurred in 3 of 52 patients and was fatal in 1. This study demonstrates durable engraftment with a low incidence of GvHD despite the lack of ATG, as well as the curative potential of this regimen...

..Based on these pre-clinical studies, we suggest that anti-CTLA-4 should be tested with xenogeneic DNA vaccines against cancer and that special attention should be given to sequence and schedule of administration...

..GM-CSF is an attractive vaccine adjuvant because of its immune modulation effects and low toxicity profile. The results in animal models have been confirmed in pilot clinical trials and several clinical trials are currently ongoing...

GM-CSF DNA induces specific patterns of cytokines and chemokines in the skin: implications for DNA vaccines

..These results have implications for understanding early events in the immune response to DNA vaccines, and provide a basis for development of new approaches to cancer vaccines, including the use of cytokine genes as adjuvants...

..Crucial to these approaches is the discovery and understanding of the molecular identity of antigens and the mechanisms involved in tumor immunity. In this review, strategies to overcome immune ignorance and tolerance are discussed...

CD4 help and tumor immunity: beyond the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes